This day in history: With half of Spokane cops living outside city limits, leaders contemplated residency requirement; Officer shot man in stolen car

Tue., June 9, 2026

By Jim Kershner The Spokesman-Review

From 1976: About 400 city of Spokane employees were watching nervously as the Spokane City Council pondered a requirement that all city employees live inside the city limits.

Hundreds of city workers lived outside the city limits including 47% of the city’s police officers and 32% of the firefighters. About half of the city’s department and division heads also lived outside the city limits.

The debate was sparked by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling which upheld the legality of such a requirement in other cities.

Some city council members “think adoption of such a rule is entirely possible,” although the Spokane Daily Chronicle noted there was “no overwhelming enthusiasm” for the idea.

Spokane Mayor David Rodgers seemed open to it. He said such a rule might give city employees “a greater personal interest and personal incentive to maintain and improve the city.”

From 1926: A car chase through downtown Spokane ended when a police bullet lodged in the skull of a 19-year-old passenger.

The auto had earlier been reported stolen from a car lot. When an employee saw the car parked in front of the St. Helena Apartment, he called police. A detective showed up in time to witness two boys jump in the car and drive off.

The detective followed and chased the car at high speed. He tried to get the boys to stop, but they “paid no attention to him and speeded away.”

At Fifth Avenue and Washington Street, he fired shots, “aiming at the tires.”

“The boys did not stop so he aimed higher, shattering the glass and wounding Switzer,” the Chronicle said.

Horace Switzer, 19, was hit in the head, with the bullet lodging in the skull. Switzer and the driver, Thorp Cribyea, 18, were taken into custody. Switzer was taken to the hospital but his injuries were not thought to be serious.

Switzer told police that he tried to get Cribyea to stop the car. Switzer finally grabbed the emergency brake and turned off the ignition.

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